• The Shadows

  • The Books of Elsewhere, Volume I
  • By: Jacqueline West
  • Narrated by: Lexy Fridell
  • Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (156 ratings)

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The Shadows  By  cover art

The Shadows

By: Jacqueline West
Narrated by: Lexy Fridell
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Publisher's summary

For fans of Small Spaces, Coraline, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and James Howe's Bunnicula classics comes the first book in the award-winning, New York Times best-selling Books of Elsewhere series.

This house is keeping secrets...

When 11-year-old Olive and her parents move into the crumbling mansion on Linden Street and find it filled with mysterious paintings, Olive knows the place is creepy - but it isn’t until she encounters its three talking cats that she realizes there’s something darkly magical afoot. Then Olive finds a pair of antique spectacles in a dusty drawer and discovers the most peculiar thing yet: She can travel inside the house’s spooky paintings to a world that’s strangely quiet...and eerily sinister. But in entering Elsewhere, Olive has been ensnared in a mystery darker and more dangerous than she could have imagined, confronting a power that wants to be rid of her by any means necessary. With only the cats and an unusual boy she meets in Elsewhere on her side, it’s up to Olive to save the house from the shadows, before the lights go out for good.

©2010 Jacqueline West (P)2010 Penguin

What listeners say about The Shadows

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect for 10+ year old

Any additional comments?

I have a 10 year old step-son who is NOT into reading! Going into 6th grade, this is obviously making us all crazier than usual. His Mom has tried some audio books for him rented from the library but it didn't take. The kids hear me listening to my audio books all the time and sometimes they chime in so I thought this one could be for us. We mostly listened to it in the car, but it took a while as we live in a small town and don't drive too far between places, but we loved getting in the car!!! His Dad and I were worried as the main character is a girl, but it didn't bother him. The story is great, entertaining and well put together. The characters are consistent and the narration, in my opinion, works perfect for Olive and all the characters. I highly recommend this for all ages (the 13 year old liked doing errands with us all of a sudden... Not because he liked the book or anything, lol) I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment and am looking forward to starting book 2 next week!!!!

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

My class loved it!

My students are reviewing Bluebonnet nominees for this year, so I decided to read this book with them. I was worried that my boys would not be as interested in the story due to its female main character, however all of my students truly enjoyed all of the characters, plot, and narration. They have asked me to continue reading the series!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What an adventure!

This story has such wonder. The author does an amazing job in her descriptions and relating one thing to another. Her characters and her story has captured our hearts! We have to jump right into the next story immediately after finishing this one!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen

Normally not a fan of children books, but I was looking for something different. The sample blew me away with the excellent range of voices displayed by the narrator, Lexy Fridell.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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awesome

this is probably my favorite series of all time. I've read this particular book 7 or 8 times. and the whole series probably 5 times.

I loved reliving my favorite story in audiobook form. it was great. the narrator did a really good job with the voices. although I did always picture Olive with a deeper voice. oh well. still amazing. I highly recommend it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Page Turner

Would you listen to The Shadows again? Why?

Each chapter left the listener wondering what would happen next.

Any additional comments?

This book had just the right amount of suspense and mystery for my 5th grader. I did not have to provide encouragement to read from this text each night, but instead had to say that it was time to stop for the evening. My child is eager to read book 2 of the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best series ever!!

I love this series and the series is very well narrated with a fitting and relatable voice, just like how it is written. Recommended for anyone!!
Thanks

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

best book ever

It is amazing. I love it. Got to read the rest of the book. BYE

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Fun But Familiar Tale

A family moves into a new house where the daughter, Olive, soon discovers weird things happen. If that set-up sounds familiar, it plays that way too.

The Shadows (Book 1 of Elsewhere) feels like a little bit of Coraline, a little bit of the Spiderwick Chronicles, and a little bit of Amulet. There are talking cats, plucky characters, and magical paintings. Unfortunately, our protagonist Olive is a bit on the bland side. She has two amusing and aloof mathematician parents, but doesn't have quite so much to distinguish her from Coraline, Hermione Granger, or even Mallory Grace. Additionally, it's pretty clear to the listener who the villains are immediately, which makes it all the more frustrating when Olive chooses to trust them. Often, it feels like West is just taking us through motions of a ride we've been on dozens of times before.

Lexy Fridell is clearly having a blast narrating the story and voicing the characters, which gives the audiobook a big boost and makes it more enjoyable. You can almost imagine her in a dark room, holding a flashlight in front of her face with a big grin as she performs.

That said, despite the solid narration and the spooky fun vibe of the atmosphere, the story suffers from a bland protagonist and a familiar set-up, without offering any real surprises. It isn't a bad book. It's just overly familiar and safe.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

here kitty kitty

Loved listening to Lexy Fridell narriate this book series. Perfect fit. Also, loved reading the Shadow book series. A great escape from the real world.

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